In Amy's Garden

Ellie Mae has earned her nap in the sun. She keeps Amy's garden free of rabbits and deer. What a dog! If I had a dog  like Ellie, I could grow tulips, too. I once had 3 dogs who would all lie around the deck watching the rabbits graze on my garden. Thanks Amy and Dave for a lovely afternoon of sun, beauty and sketching.

So cold . . so cold . . . my fingers are numb!

But I got in starter sketches from two places that were going to lose their color in a day or two. I raced out before noon, sketched from the car in Langley, sketched from the front porch and ran inside for coffee in Bayview, then finished at home. I "painted the sunshine", 'cause it sure wasn't there!

 The Langley Flower Bed on Third Street.

My Mom's Rhododendron Fountain in Bayview. So much prettier a couple of days ago, but maybe that's because I was so cold there today.

Yesterday at Amys'!  What can I say; the most beautiful day; my favorite views of the farmlands of Ebey's Prairie and the Olympics.  This is the reason we live here!  Below are a sketches of the view from her patio looking over toward Ebey.  Thank you Amy and Dave for a wonderful day and delicious Banana bread.

View of the Fields on the Prairie and the Olympics

The Tractor Shed

Sketching @ Amy's House

Wonderful day on a farm with friendly animals and great company in a glorious sunny setting!  http://www.judinyerges.com/ for blog!

Amy's House in Spring!

Wow, what a beautiful day yesterday at Amy's house near Coupeville! It started out cool, but we finished on the sunny patio with beautiful vistas every direction. I loved the rocker on the front

porch, framed by the blooming rhododendron!

           Park land is to the south, and this year they were harvesting beets!   Thank you Dave and Amy!

Anchor Books & Coffee

You can't possibly resist all the books at Anchor Books and Coffee.  The choices were so good that I went home to get books that I was going to give away, and started an account.  I now have $24 in credit toward their books.  The prices are higher than Good Cheer or elsewhere unless you have credit. The atmosphere is cozy and comfortable and there were many people sitting around drinking their coffee and conversing.
Here are two of the books I purchased along with a cup of tea (the bathtub).  The tea is fresh & contained in a teabag the size of which depends on the size of your cup.  I also enjoyed the view of the hillside of 525 trying my hand at pen sketching with a very light wash.  Enjoy.

View of 525 hillside passed by, by so many!

Bathtub of Tea

Meerkerk is Blooming!

Wow! The Rhodies are popping out! I stopped to check on Meerkerk yesterday, and

couldn't resist this view just from the parking lot!

Skagit Valley Tulips Fields

I joined the Anacortes Sketchers in the Skagit Valley tulip fields today.  It was a glorious sunny day to sketch tulips in full bloom, and stop at Christianson's Nursery for lunch and a sketch inside before returning to the fields. 

Up close and across the fields toward the mountains - either view is spectacular in the Skagit Valley tulip fields.

 

Inside the greenhouse at Christianson's.

Amtrak to Vancouver BC

                                 Faye is always finding the light with or without tools in hand.

                                                           Cheerful Granville Island

              
                    Ah shucks, I can't get enough of those fresh Oysters at Rodney's Oyster House.

Vancouver, B.C. Field Trip

Oh Canada....loved our field trip to Vancouver.  So many images it was overwhelming and difficult for me to focus.  My paint box was sketched on the train.  The man with guitar and the bird were sketched on Granville Island. The sun was out and the music was so enjoyable and birds everywhere. What a great day!

Best fish and chips lunch ever.    Thank you Sherryl for finding the Go Fish restaurant.  What a nice group of talented women to spend time with.....get inspired to put pen to paper and dare to place a  drop of paint from my box.  It's a process.

My paint box 

                               Man with guitar

Bird at Granville Island

Granville Island People and Pigeons

This guy and his family arrived on bikes. I was all set to draw the musician performing but there was Joe with his leg propped up. One of the kids was interested in my drawing and asked a lot of questions so I gave him a Whidbey Island Sketchers card. When the family got ready to leave, he asked "Is it okay if we move our bikes, Sue?" Cracked me up.

Pigeon Man

This drawing doesn't begin to describe the scene created by this man feeding the pigeons. They were all over his body at times and thick on the ground around him. Dozens of them. He got disgusted with the kids kicking and chasing his pigeons and got up and left before I captured the whole incredible scene.

Rodney's Oyster House

I don't like oysters, but loved every single other thing about Rodney's Oyster House in Vancouver. I drew the two prettiest things I saw there.

Our waiter Alex with his lovely curl

The FISH Boat

Under the Granville Bridge, in a "dry dock" of sorts, is this great old fishing boat. It is advertising for the fish restaurant and Sandbar Lounge in front of which it sits. I thought it was too good a subject to pass up. 

Sketching on Granville

Granville Island is full of imagery, weeks of sketching material! 

This totem is about 15 feet tall, and stands next to a carving studio with

more massive  logs inside. What a place to sit in the sun, listen to live music,

 and do my first sketch of the Whidbey Sketcher's Vancouver field trip.

Later....at one of the irresistible bakeries...

Lemon meringue pie for Phyllis, caramel chocolate mousse for me.

Beautiful sunny day to sit outside and sketch!  

The Burrard Bridge 

I lived for a year in one of the distant buildings

( under the bridge ) while studying animation 

at the Vancouver Film School. 

 The bridge was a familiar sight and a fond landmark.

Sketching on Granville Island BC

The sun was shining, the water was sparkling, it was our second day sketching on Granville Island. I knew I had to sketch the Aqua Bus because it was so cute and so efficient...it was our major mode of transportation. I had no idea I would sketch as much as I did. But Joshua Minsky, the busker who was singing, simply swept me away with his voice and my hand could not quit moving. That was the peak moment of our sketcher trip to BC for me. A close second was when Faye and I moved inside and happened to sit next to the pie shoppe, Ala Mode. There was the lemon meringue pie. Right there. How could I not? So I sketched and savored. On the other hand....the discussion on the train when we tried to figure out who owed who how much money was pretty hilarious. The train ride home in our private car with our wine was exquisite. Sketchers rule. Really!

A VIEW FROM GRANVILLE ISLAND

Sitting in the sunshine of the Public Market Courtyard, looking northwest down False Creek inlet, over the marina, under Burrard Bridge, past the condos on Sunset Beach, to English Bay and the hills beyond. All the while listening to the street musicians in general, and Josh Minsky in particular. Delicious day, in so many more ways than just one!

On the train to Canada

We had a lovely 4 hour train trip together.....in our own compartment!

Sketchers on Granville island

After a car ride, a ferry ride, a train ride, and an aqua bus ride we finally arrived on Granville island. All fun. The sun was shining, the musicians were playing, the seagulls were squawking and fluttering, and there were tons of people out strolling, eating, visiting, and just plain enjoying the day. This sketch is not correct perspective wise, but I think it captures the feeling of the day.

Happy Afternoon at Good Cheer Two

Princess Dress Rack

Sketching Good Cheer

Got in a couple sketches with the sketchers at Good Cheer. The place was hopping busy. Cheers!

Good Cheer Two

It was a cold rainy day yesterday, so we were all happy to be inside the colorful Good Cheer Two.  This is a huge Thrift Shop in Clinton that is very busy.  So many people running in checking on things and the cash register pinging away.  I even found a hat for my husband, right size, style and price and brand new!

Clothing in bright colors

Assortment of Hats

Funky small gifts

Watering Can and Crown?

It makes no sense.....both these sketches were done at Ace Hardware in Freeland.   The watering can and the crown?   What will I come up with in Vancouver is anybody's guess.

Ace Garden Room

The indoor garden room at Freeland Ace Hardware was a perfect spot for the sketchers. Lots of light, color and kitsch. Even chairs for us to sit on. I tried to capture the whole colorful scene, but hated my sketch, so I cropped out a couple of bits to post. I think I need to tweak my palette. And/or learn how to achieve value contrast without overworking and creating a mess.  Ah, sketchers angst. So what else is new?